Calvin and Hobbes – Sponsorship
Posted: Thu 26 July, 2012 Filed under: Advertising, Art, Cynicism, London Olympics 1 Comment »via YorkshireSoul
Calvin and Hobbes on corporate logos and clothing. (c) Bill Watterson, as always.
Brand Ownership
Posted: Wed 25 July, 2012 Filed under: Advertising, Cynicism, Marketing, Thoughts 2 Comments »If you ever want to be scared by how few mega-corporations there really are that own the great majority of well-known brands, this image should do it…
You can click on the image to get the full-size version.
It’s more US-centric than UK, but most of the brands involved are international anyway.
Alternative Version(s) of Free
Posted: Mon 23 July, 2012 Filed under: 1BEM, Advertising, Cynicism, Technology, Thoughts Leave a comment »While at the cinema this weekend, I saw an advert for the Nokia Lumia – this advert, in fact (although the final price was different)
Most of it’s nothing major, but the last five seconds or so hold the kicker.
“Free, from £15 per month”
And you’ve just got to wonder, how something that costs from £180 a year can be seen as free by anyone except marketers/advertisers.
Weekender
Posted: Mon 23 July, 2012 Filed under: Depression, Domestic Leave a comment »A quietish weekend, in the end – which seems to be par for the course at the moment. Not that I’m complaining. Work is leaving me with an absolute headfull of stuff by the end of the week, so decompression time is becoming a valuable commodity.
Friday night, I came home post-work (and having had a drink with some colleagues afterwards) with a blinding headache that left me sitting in a darkened room, not even really bothering with TV. I won’t say it was a migraine, because it wasn’t, but it drained me the same way they used to.
Saturday was more domestic, getting stuff done. I could/ should do it during the week, but sometimes, well, I don’t. This weekend was one where I hadn’t.
Saturday afternoon/evening was a bit down. Some of it was lingering bleh from the headache the night before, some of it was just an all-over bleh. I could’ve gone out, but didn’t really want to. I felt flat, tired, and generally just a bit shit. One of those things, but all the same, not a great deal of fun.
Sunday was much better. A sunny day, which always helps, so I went out, walked a fair section round one of the local lakes, and went to see the new Batman film in the evening.
All good…
Naming
Posted: Mon 16 July, 2012 Filed under: 1BEM, People Leave a comment »Yesterday, I witnessed one of the funniest conversations I’ve ever heard…
I went down to the village shop, and while waiting in line at the till, the guy in front was getting served. The guy behind the till was doing all the talking
“Hi Paul, what can I get you?”
“The blue ones down on the left Paul, yeah?”
“Thanks, Paul, that’ll be [Whatever the amount was]”
By this time, even I was thinking “Yeah, OK, pal, you know the guy’s name. Fuck sake”
Guy hands over the money
“Thanks Paul, see you again soon”
“It’s Dave.”
I just about killed myself with laughter.
Olympic Links
Posted: Sat 14 July, 2012 Filed under: 1BEM, Advertising, Cynicism, London Olympics, People, Thoughts 5 Comments »Lord, this is becoming a theme, isn’t it?
Another item in the long list of stupid bullshit that the organisers of the London 2012 Olympics are doing.
In this case, it’s an example of how draconian organisations really don’t understand complex concepts like Freedom of Speech, or t’Internet.
In London2012’s Terms of Use for the website, it says this…
5.a. Links to the Site. You may create your own link to the Site, provided that your link is in a text-only format. You may not use any link to the Site as a method of creating an unauthorised association between an organisation, business, goods or services and London 2012, and agree that no such link shall portray us or any other official London 2012 organisations (or our or their activities, products or services) in a false, misleading, derogatory or otherwise objectionable manner. The use of our logo or any other Olympic or London 2012 Mark(s) as a link to the Site is not permitted. View our guidelines on Use of the Games’ Marks.
(Bold emphasis is my own).
Yep, that’s right. You can’t link to the London 2012 Olympics website if you’re going to say nasty things about them.
Which is pretty fucking ridiculous, when you think about it.
Indeed, the links in this post almost certainly break those Terms. Ah well. Luckily the European Human Rights Act still allows me to say that in my opinion this kind of policy from the London Olympics is draconian bullshit.
Angry Bunny
Posted: Fri 13 July, 2012 Filed under: Animals Leave a comment »While the rest of the world has serious stuff to do, I suggest you spend some time looking at the angry rabbit face in the nose of this upside-down cat. It made me laugh, anyway…
